Approaching the End
by Cheeky Slytherin Lass
Summary: Really, Gellert had hoped that Albus would one day visit him in his prison. But not like this. Not with this news.


_For the Climb to the Top of Mount Potter Challenge (geriatric) and the 100 Ways to Say I Love You Challenge ("I don't mind.")_

* * *

Gellert turns his gaze to Albus, a hint of a smile on his lips. "Well now," he says, his voice trembling with a suppressed laugh, "I never thought I'd live to see you return to me."

There is no amusement in Albus' eyes. Gellert realizes that this is what hurts the most. He doesn't care that Albus has spent decades without visiting. It's that the boy he once cared for has disappeared completely. He now wears the body of geriatric man who has seen too many horrors in his lifetime. Guilt squeezes his insides. How many of those horrors could have been avoided if Albus had never met him?

Still, he knows that he can't let his emotions betray him now. If he dwells on his nostalgia for even a second, his charade will shatter. He cannot show weakness, especially now.

"Is it my birthday?" Gellert muses, resting his head on the cold brick wall of his cell. "Is this my special treat?"

"Do you ever get tired of your games, Gellert?" Albus asks sharply.

Gellert's smile fades. His eyes sweeping over Albus' body. He laughs. Somehow, after so many years, his former lover still has fight left in him. "I don't play games," he answers. "I am far too straightforward for that. You, on the other hand. Oh, I should never have tried to have you for an ally. That clever brain in your head is far too brilliant. Sometimes I wonder if you even realize the traps you lay, or if it's just become so natural for you that you don't even notice anymore."

Albus flinches at that. He's silent for several moments. Gellert studies him curiously.

"Tell me, Albus, what do you want? That's it, isn't it? You want something," Gellert guesses climbing to his feet and circling the other man like a shark circling its prey. "Go on. Say it. I don't mind. You know I could never hide anything from you."

More silence. Gellert wishes that he could shake the man, make him talk. The silence is maddening.

Hesitantly, Albus lifts his hand. Gellert swallows dryly, stepping closer. He's seen damage like this before. It's a sign of some particularly nasty dark magic. Without really thinking about it, he places his hand gently on Albus' cheek. "Oh, Albus. What have you done?"

"I found them," Albus answers. "All three of them."

Gellert shivers. All three? He had been lucky to own the wand, however briefly. Truthfully, part of him had stopped believing that the other two existed.

"It's dangerous to explain the exact circumstances. But there was a curse placed on the Resurrection Stone," Albus continues.

Gellert drops his hand, capturing Albus by the wrist and pulling the blackened hand closer. "I can't fix this. I'm sorry," he says softly. "The power that went into that curse… It cannot be reversed. I-"

"I didn't come here for me. I was foolish to have bothered with it, but the temptation, the chance to see her again…" Albus trails off, shaking his head. "I came here for you."

"Me?"

"You know what's going on beyond your prison."

"Ah. The Dark Lord," Gellert spits.

The title disgusts him. It's so pretentious, so arrogant. One does not need an ominous title in order to be great.

"His power is growing. I'm afraid that I do not have much time left, given the circumstances."

Gellert swallows. The last time he had seen Albus, they had faced one another as enemies. He's spent years wallowing in his bitterness, letting his anger for his former lover consume. And yet, faced with his blunt honesty, his calm admission that his death is approaching, Gellert melts.

"He is seeking the wand," Albus continues. "He does not know the truth."

Gellert nods. After that fateful day, his wand had been taken from him. Albus had won it, and no one has bested Albus yet in a duel. "He will come for me."

"I thought it was only fair that you knew."

Gellert takes Albus by his good hand. "You did not ask, but I will take your secret to my grave. I owe you that much."

Albus smiles sadly. He pulls away from Gellert's grip, caressing his cheek. "Do you ever regret it?"

"Only hurting you," Gellert says honestly. "We could have been great."

"We would have been monsters."

"Perhaps. But we would have been monsters together," Gellert points out.

"This is the last time I will get to see you," Albus reminds him gently. "Don't ruin it."

Gellert lets out a chuckle. So, Albus doesn't want honesty? He can respect that. For a moment, he considers salvaging their farewell with a kiss, but Albus would just call him a sentimental old fool.

"You be careful out there," Gellert says after several seconds.

Albus regards him sadly for a moment. Gellert can sense something unspoken that lingers between them, making the air heavy, but he can't quite read Albus well enough to decipher it.

"Unfortunately, I believe it won't he much longer before the two of us are reunited," Albus muses, his usual kind smile pulled into a frown.

Gellert considers this. Once, the thought would have frightened him. Truthfully, part of him is still terrified to know that his own death is coming closer. And yet, he wonders if it's been long enough, if that eternal sleep will be a new peace.

"Well, my love," Gellert says, "I look forward to it."


End file.
